The described embodiments generally relate to wireless communications devices and computer networks. More particularly, the described embodiments relate to apparatus and methods for protecting data on a wireless device.
Wireless networking connects one or more wireless devices to other computer devices without a direct electrical connection, such as a copper wire or optical cable. Wireless devices communicate data, typically in the form of packets, across a wireless or partially wireless computer network and open a “data” or “communication” channel on the network such that the device can send and receive data packets. The wireless devices often have wireless device resources, such as programs and hardware components, which individually and cooperatively operate to use and generate data in accordance to their design and specific protocol or configuration, such as using open communication connections to transmit and receive data on the network.
These wireless devices generally contain software implemented locks that protect certain types of stored data, such as service programming locks (SPL) that restrict access to service programming data. For example, service programming data may include the account information of the user of the wireless device that allows the device to access a particular wireless network associated with a particular network service provider.
There are many reasons to protect data on a wireless device. For example, a network service provider may use a service programming lock so that the wireless device can only be used on their particular wireless network. For instance, in one scenario, a user may purchase a wireless handset and a service contract for cellular services from a network service provider, where the wireless handset is sold at a discount based on the service contract. In this case, the network provider subsidizes a portion of the handset cost for the purposes of marketing the service. If the user were able to unlock the SPL and reprogram the handset to use it on another network, the original network provider would lose the recurring income stream of the service that reimburses the network provider for subsidizing the cost of the handset.
Although locks may prevent a user from reprogramming the wireless device, or may prevent unauthorized access to protected data, unfettered access to a lock may allow repeated access attempts to eventually succeed.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide an apparatus and method that allows for the monitoring and/or management of data access attempt occurring on a wireless device.